The Challenge
Home brand Origin, which manufactures doors and windows, tasked us with reaching its target audience of homeowners and renovators through a national media campaign. With doors and windows not regularly featuring on the media agenda, our challenge was to devise a campaign with national media appeal that incorporated Origin’s product offering and positioned the brand as a leading authority on the topic of homes.
In order to reach Origin’s target ABC1 demographic it was vital that the media story was tailored to appeal to both national broadsheets and consumer interiors press. The campaign also needed to boost the brand’s social presence. We placed particular focus on Instagram which is a key platform for home brands, with 84% of homeowners we researched claiming to use the platform for inspiration for their property.
How We Helped
Our solution was to create a two-stage campaign that positioned Origin as an authority on unlocking the living potential of homes, with reference to the role that bi-folding doors can play in achieving this.
Capitalising on the hot topic of ‘Instagram influencers’, we devised a campaign that focused on the rise of the unrealistic ‘Insta-Homes’ that are seen on social media. The aim was to debunk the myths and make consumers feel positive and empowered by the realisation that no one’s home is perfect – living potential is what really matters.
The first element of this campaign took the form of a media story, focusing on the level of dissatisfaction that UK homeowners feel towards their own homes when comparing them to other people’s houses on social media. To demonstrate the scale of the problem, we researched 2,000 UK homeowners, finding that a vast majority are dissatisfied with their home as a result of Instagram. This research was supported with expert comment from a psychologist, who we worked with to coin the phrase ‘Home Dysmorphic Disorder’ (HDD). This described the irrational feeling of home dissatisfaction due to social media and acted as an additional media hook.
Research, expert insights from the psychologist and a series of case studies of people suffering with HDD, formed the national press story which raised awareness of the issue. It offered expert advice from Origin on overcoming HDD, achieved by concentrating on the living potential of homes instead of the small imperfections. Focusing on the affect that social media can have on our well-being ensured that the campaign was relevant to the national media agenda, whilst establishing Origin as a leading authority on the topic.
The second stage of the campaign built on the media buzz created by the press story. Working with key UK interiors influencers, we revealed the ‘Insta-reality’ behind the perfect homes that consumers see on social media. We chose to work with Restoring Lansdowne (44,000 Instagram followers) and Hornsby Style (47,000 Instagram followers) because of their affinity with the Origin brand, as well as their targeted and engaged followers. Restoring Lansdowne had also recently documented the renovation of her own home, meaning that many of her followers had an active interest in home improvement and renovations, making them the perfect target audience for Origin.
Offering an antidote to the effects of HDD, the influencers created a series of Instagram stories and posts, with a behind-the-scenes look at their own imperfect homes to serve up a healthy dose of reality. This activity was supported by guest blog posts, penned by the influencers and hosted on the Origin website, which focused on debunking myths and top tips on creating beautiful Instagram shots without the stress.
